CN110775012B

CN110775012B - Vehicle occupant restraint system for wheelchair user and vehicle comprising said system

Info

Publication number: CN110775012B
Application number: CN201910372605.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: W·W·布赖恩特
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2018-07-26
Filing date: 2019-05-06
Publication date: 2022-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2039-05-06
Also published as: US10688959B2; US20200031309A1; CN110775012A; DE102019112275A1

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an occupant restraint system for a wheelchair user in a vehicle, the system comprising: a pivot bracket connected to the vehicle structure; a restraint hoop pivotally connected to the pivot bracket and adapted to pivot between a stowed position above a wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle and a deployed position in front of the wheelchair/occupant when the wheelchair/occupant is located in the wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle; and an occupant restraint strap connected to the restraint hoop.

Description

Vehicle occupant restraint system for wheelchair user and vehicle comprising said system

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system for wheelchair users.

Introduction to

This introduction generally presents the background of the present disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this introduction, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

There is a widely recognized need to provide mobile services to physically handicapped passengers. Many physically handicapped passengers travel in wheelchairs and require wheelchair placement in mobile services. There are many existing systems and methods for securing a wheelchair occupant and a wheelchair in a vehicle. However, these systems present a number of challenges.

Existing vehicle occupant restraint systems for wheelchair users may be designed for a wide variety of vehicles, and wheelchairs and/or vehicles for transporting wheelchair occupants may therefore require retrofitting. For vehicles owned by individuals who may be wheelchairs and vehicle owners, specialized wheelchairs and vehicle modifications may be accepted, however, these systems are not practical for vehicles that may be shared.

Typical prior wheelchair occupant restraint systems rely on occupant restraint belt systems that may be anchored behind the occupant. A problem with these systems is that the wheelchair in which the occupant sits typically contains armrests and large wheels that block the rearward positioned anchors from direct access to the occupant's torso and hip area. To use these systems, the restraining belt must be threaded through the wheelchair. For example, in some systems, the restraining strap must pass under the wheelchair armrest and between spokes in the wheelchair wheel. These systems are very difficult and complex to use, thus requiring a great deal of manual interaction and many times assistance from someone other than the wheelchair occupant. Interaction with another person may require undesirable contact between the wheelchair occupant and the other person, which may encroach on the wheelchair occupant's personal space.

There is a need to provide an occupant restraint system for wheelchair users in vehicles that does not require wheelchair retrofitting, that can be used with wheelchairs having a variety of configurations, and that can minimize the need for human involvement other than wheelchair occupants.

Disclosure of Invention

In one exemplary aspect, an occupant restraint system for a wheelchair user in a vehicle, comprises: a pivot bracket connected to the vehicle structure; a restraint hoop pivotally connected to the pivot bracket and adapted to pivot between a stowed position above a wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle and a deployed position in front of the wheelchair/occupant when the wheelchair/occupant is located in the wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle; and an occupant restraint strap connected to the restraint hoop.

In this way, a wheelchair occupant in the vehicle can be secured by an occupant restraint strap provided to the occupant from the front, thereby avoiding the problem of providing a restraint system to the occupant from the rear, e.g., the problem of having to pass the restraint strap through the wheelchair to properly secure the occupant.

In another exemplary aspect, the pivot bracket provides a pivotal connection to the restraint hoop on opposite sides of the wheelchair/occupant storage area.

In another exemplary aspect, at least one of the pivotal connections comprises a ratchet and a locking pivot.

In another exemplary aspect, the occupant restraint strap includes a shoulder strap connected to the restraint hoop at a distal end of the shoulder strap and to a vehicle structure at a proximal end of the shoulder strap.

In another exemplary aspect, the proximal end of the shoulder harness is connected to the vehicle structure at a location behind and above the wheelchair/occupant receiving area.

In another exemplary aspect, the restraint hoop includes a pair of articulated hip arms extending rearwardly from the restraint hoop toward the wheelchair/occupant receiving area.

In another exemplary aspect, the occupant restraint belt includes a lap belt having ends, each end connected to a respective one of the pair of articulated hip arms.

In another exemplary aspect, the system further comprises at least one ratchet mechanism in one of the pair of articulated hip arms and connected to a respective end of the lap belt.

In another exemplary aspect, at least one of the pair of articulating hip arms is pivotally connected to the restraint hoop.

In another exemplary aspect, at least one of the pair of articulating hip arms is slidably connected to the restraint hoop.

Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, including the appended claims and the exemplary embodiments.

Drawings

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle occupant restraint system for a wheelchair user according to the present disclosure in a first configuration;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the vehicle occupant restraint system of FIG. 1 in a second configuration;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the vehicle occupant restraint system of FIG. 1 in a second configuration;

FIG. 4 is a close-up perspective view of the vehicle occupant restraint system of FIG. 1 in a second configuration;

FIG. 5 is yet another perspective view of the vehicle occupant restraint system of FIG. 1 in a first configuration.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to several examples of the present disclosure that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same or similar reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. Directional terminology, such as top, bottom, left, right, upper, above, below, rear, and front, may be used with respect to the accompanying drawings for convenience and clarity only. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers correspond to like or similar components throughout the several figures, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle occupant restraint system 100 for a wheelchair user according to the present disclosure in a first configuration. The first configuration corresponds to a stowed configuration in which the system 100 is open to allow the wheelchair 102 to be positioned in a desired location. The wheelchair is secured in a desired position by a wheelchair securing system 104. It should be appreciated that the vehicle occupant restraint system 100 of the present disclosure may be operated with any type or configuration of wheelchair and wheelchair securing system 104.

The vehicle occupant restraint system 100 includes pivot brackets 106 on opposite sides of the wheelchair and wheelchair occupant (not shown). The pivot bracket 106 is connected to the structure and provides structural support for a restraint hoop 108 pivotally connected to the pivot bracket 106. The restraint hoop 108 includes articulated hip arms 110 adapted to be positioned on either side of the hip area of a wheelchair occupant. Optionally, the vehicle occupant restraint system 100 may include a forward reaction surface 112. The vehicle occupant restraint system 100 also includes shoulder straps 114 and a lap belt 116. One end of the shoulder belt 114 is connected to the vehicle, preferably in a vertically oriented position above and behind the wheelchair and the occupant. The other end of the shoulder strap 114 may be connected to one of the articulated hip arms 110 to which the shoulder strap is connected in such a way that: such that the shoulder straps traverse the torso of the wheelchair occupant when in the deployed configuration. The proximal end of the articulating hip arm 110 is connected to the restraint hoop 108 and the end of the lap belt 116 extends from and into the distal end of the articulating hip arm 110. As shown in phantom in fig. 4, the end of the waist belt 116 is attached to the articulating hip arm 110 via one or more ratchet mechanisms 118. The ratchet mechanism 118 enables the lap belt 116 to adjust the length of deployment depending on the size and shape of the wheelchair occupant. The articulated hip arms 110 may also contain pivoting and/or translating joints 112 that flexibly enable each of the articulated hip arms 110 to accommodate wheelchair occupants of different sizes and shapes.

Pivoting of the restraint hoop 108 from the stowed configuration (as shown in fig. 1 and 5) to the deployed configuration (as shown in fig. 2-4) may be accomplished in a number of ways. The vehicle occupant restraint system for wheelchair occupants of the present disclosure is not limited to any method or system that may effect a transition between stowed and deployed configurations. In one exemplary embodiment, the pivotal connection between the pivot bracket 106 and the restraint hoop 108 may rely on a motor controlled pivot (not shown) and/or a manually actuated and ratchet pivoted mechanism (not shown). For a motor controlled pivot, a user interface, such as a button or software application on a user accessible device, may trigger operation of the motor controlled pivot. Alternatively, other systems or sensors may trigger operation of a vehicle occupant restraint system, such as a vision system that can identify the location of the wheelchair and occupant, and/or other sensors. In response to the vision system signals, the positioning of the wheelchair and the occupant may be determined such that the vehicle occupant restraint system may transition from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration when the occupant is properly positioned. In this way, the system may provide the ability to properly restrain an occupant in the wheelchair without manual intervention. Alternatively, the vehicle occupant restraint system 100 may be manually reconfigured by a wheelchair occupant or with the assistance of another person. For example, a wheelchair occupant may manually pull the restraint 108 from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. The pivotal connection between the pivot bracket 106 and the restraint hoop 108 may be a ratcheting connection (not shown) that allows rotation from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration and then holds the restraint hoop 108 in place. Further, the pivotal connection may include a release mechanism (not shown) whereby an occupant may unlock the restraint hoop 108 from retention in the deployed configuration and then lift the restraint hoop 108 back to the stowed position. The pivotal connection may be rotationally biased toward the stowed configuration against gravitational pull using, for example, a torsion spring (not shown) to help lift the restraint hoop 108 from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration.

This description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint system for a wheelchair occupant in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a pivot bracket connected to the vehicle structure;

a restraint hoop pivotally connected to the pivot bracket and adapted to pivot between a stowed position above a wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle and a deployed position forward of the wheelchair/occupant when located in the wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle, wherein the restraint hoop comprises a pair of articulated hip arms extending rearwardly from the restraint hoop towards the wheelchair/occupant receiving area; and

an occupant restraint strap connected to the restraint hoop, wherein the occupant restraint strap comprises a shoulder strap connected to one of the hip arms at a distal end of the shoulder strap and to a vehicle structure at a proximal end of the shoulder strap, and a lap belt having ends, each end connected to a respective one of the hip arms.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the pivot bracket provides a pivotal connection to the restraint hoop on opposite sides of the wheelchair/occupant storage area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pivotal connections comprises a ratchet and a locking pivot.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the shoulder harness is connected to the vehicle structure at a location behind and above the wheelchair/occupant receiving area.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one ratchet mechanism in one of the pair of articulated hip arms and connected to a respective end of the lap belt.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pair of articulating hip arms is pivotally connected to the restraint hoop.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the pair of articulating hip arms is slidably connected to the restraint hoop.